Una Obra Maravillosa

Dear All,

Another week has flown by. Someone mentioned to us a few days ago that time goes by faster here Viña del Mar. I'm not sure what they meant or what that exactly means, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's true? Haha. :)

Well, we were going to have a baptism this next Saturday, but Susana didn't pass her interveiw. :( But we're going to keep working with her to see what we can do to help her. Olfa, on the other hand, is going to have her interview this next Saturday, and she'll pass and be baptized on March 5. She's awesome! Last night we taught her "Permanaced." Permanaced is a document written the Chile area presidency especially for the Chilean saints. I have a copy in English, so you all can read it for yourself one day. But...to sum it up: It talks about the Spirit and how everything good in this life depends on us receiving the Holy Ghost and maintaining it in our lives. But alas! We shared the document with her last night, and she understood really well. She's actually accepted everything very well. :) It's great having investigators like that! Haha. What was even greater was when she gave us empanadas right before we left. Delicious! ;)

Other than those two investigators, we're just working hard on finding new people to teach, and we're trying to get the ward here pumped to do missionary work--as I mentioned last week. We visited a lot of members last week, and we invited a ton of them to go out with us this week, and it's been a success so far! It seems like the members are already a whole lot more excited to work with us. So hopefully we can keep that up! :)

We had our zone conference this last week. That was the greatest! As always, I learned a ton from President Gillespie and the zone leaders. We had a prepare a talk for the conference, and we did a little "workshop" on how to give a good talk. I kind of rushed my talk, and it wasn't the greatest! It was actually pretty boring. I'm just glad I had to give it in front of four missionaries, rather than in front of ALL the missionaries. Phew!

The conference was also really awesome because it was the first time that Elder Boyd, Elder Hawkes, and I were all together since January of last year. It was awesome to be reunited! As always, we talked of old MTC memories, and we shared new mission stories with each other. And then there are the stories from BEFORE the mission that we liked to share with each other. Haha. Elder Hawkes had me tell the story of how they accidently put me in special ed. my sixth grade year (again). That story never gets old for them it seems. Haha.

I am running out of interesting things to say these days. :/ But as always I just want to let you all know that I have a testimony of the Gospel. And I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that if we rely on Him and keep His commandments, we will be protected, and we will receive Eternal Life. All is takes is an attitude of faith and a strong desire. :) I am thankful for each and every one of you and your examples.

I love you all! Until next week! Cuidense mucho. :)

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Nelson IV

"Come What May And Love It"

Dear All,

Last night, my companion Elder Judd said, "You should really clean off the jam on this thing" referring to the mess I made in our sandwhich griller. The thing was burning hot, and I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I decided it would be cool to try and clean off the jam while the thing was still burning hot. To make a short story short...It hurts a little bit to type with my left hand because it got burnt pretty good. :)

Which brings me to another subject: We all have trials and problems in this life. We're not perfect, and we'll never be able to avoid that. This last week I was thinking a little bit about that as I listened to Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk from 2008 entitled "Come What May And Love It." I've decided that this phrase has basically been the moto of my life, and it will continue to be my moto for the rest of my life. I would try and explain it all in my own words, but Joseph B. Wirthlin explained it much better. So I suggest you find that talk and listen to it. And then do something to apply it to your life.

Haha. Something always comes to mind when I listen to it: The dumpster in front of our house there in Henderson. Dad and JoAnn used to have us fill it up twice every week! :) And at first, I just thought, "Why us? Why do we have to do this now? It's so hot outside!" Well, one day I told myself, "Why am I complaining? Let's just turn it into something fun and just do it." And so every Tuesday or Wednesday (can't remember which) for about a month or so, Logan and I would go outside around noon, fill up the dumpster, SWEAT UP A STORM, and then afterwards....Jump into the pool and go for a swim! :) And it was a BLAST! I loved it after doing it a few times. (Ask Logan about it; he had a blast, too. Haha.)

Anyways! I am sorry. I like to go off on random things sometimes. All is well here. It was a good week. We had a lot of success, and we were really happy about that. We completed with almost all of our metas. In fact...As far as completing with metas goes, I am pretty sure it was the best week of my mission. :) And we should have two baptisms before this transfer ends. One on February 26 and the other on March 5. :) Their names are Susana and Olfa. Olfa is awesome! She was at church yesterday, and we taught her last night about tithing. She accepted everything without any problems, and she's really excited to be baptized on March 5. She's a really positive lady. Despite having cancer and not having any hair, she is SO positive and it really made me happy yesterday as we taught her--knowing that there are such people in the world today. She's a great example to me. She's one of those people that I think I'll never forget.

The ward is awesome, although the zone leaders were telling us last night that a lot of the members have lost trust in the missionaries here. And they were suggesting that we work really hard and show the members that we are excited to be here. It was something I didn't realize under last night--the members here are great but something just seemed...different. So this week we're really going to work hard with the members and show them that we love the mission and that we're excited to be here. :)

I don't know what else to say. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures. A lot of them are just from my area so you have a good idea of where I am at now. I also included another picture of me and Elder Hawkes, and the package I received from my convert's (Valeska) family from Quillota. I also included a picture of me eating my empanada and my melon. The zone leaders, my companion, and I had a little feast a few nights ago. I supplied the empanadas and Olfa (our investigator) provided the melon. It was awesome. Haha. (And I think that's it for the pictures.)

I love you all. I love the mission! It's the best. I'm still here working hard because I have a testimony of these things! I know the Book of Mormon is true. And because of this testimony, I know that Christ is our Savior, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and we have a prophet to lead us and guide us today, and I KNOW the church is the only true church of Christ. The Book of Mormon really is the keystone to our religion. I challenge each of you to make a special effort to read it personally or as a family this year. By doing so, we will all be blessed. I promise you all that.

Until next week!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Nelson IV

Reñaca Alto: Estoy Perdido

Dear All,

Well, I was just on the mission website, and I finally made it to the "OUT ON THE STREETS" section. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time now! Haha. HERE is the link to the picture. This picture was taken by Sister Gillespie as she and President Gillespie were leaving from the interviews that we had last week. That's the reason I am carrying our area book. It's also the reason we're wearing suits when it was SUPER hot outside. Enjoy! :)

So last Tuesday I made my way to the mission office with a few other Elders. From there, I was supposed to meet up with more Elders so that we could all go to Achupallas (my new zone) together. Well, I was surprised when I arrived to the office, and Elder Birchall was there! We greeted each other and the first thing he asked me was, "So we're you surprised that you were transfered?" I told him that I was, and he told me, "Well, you want to know the truth? The truth is Achupallas is really struggling right now, and so we decided we needed to put a few powerful missionaries over there. And that's why we transfered you over there, as well as Elder Briones!" It was at this moment that I just couldn't believe it! For those of you who don't remember: Elder Briones is my good friend that was with me in my first ward my first two transfers. He's from Santiago, and he has family here in Viña. And for that reason, he was told that he would be up north for his WHOLE mission. Well...There are always exceptions. :) And yes! Elder Briones and I were able to reunite this last week after not seeing each other for almost a whole year! It was awesome. It was a great moment for the two of us. The cool part was that I could understand EVERY word he said to me! Haha. I remember my time up North with him...I couldn't understand all that much of what he told me. But yeah...It was great being able to talk to him about old times, and we're SO pumped to be here in Achupallas together. :)

So all is well here in my new ward Reñaca Alto. It's a lot smaller than Olmue and Quillota. But wow! It's SO much more confusing and easier to get lost. There are a lot of hills here, too, bringing back memories of good old Cerro Alegre. As far as the ward goes...It's a good ward. I'll just say this: We have a lot of work to do! :) We have an investigator named Susanna. She's a really nice lady! She can't read or write, but she has desires to learn more about the Gospel, and she just wants to follow the example of Christ. She has a baptismal date for February 26, and we're excited for her. She came to church yesterday, and that was a great acomplishment because my companion was telling me that she always said that she would be there but she was never able to make it. :)

Speaking of my companion...As I mentioned last week: His name is Elder Judd, and he is from Payson, UT! Excellent! My first companion from Utah. Wow. Haha. Also, he DOES play the bag pipes, and he has about five months in the mission. He actually speaks and understands the language pretty well already. He's a good missionary, and he saved us this week because he knows the area REALLY well. :) He's a nice guy. I don't know if I ever said this about Elder Richardsen (my companion in Olmue), but...Elder Richardsen really reminded me of Scott Oehler at times. And, well, Elder Judd makes me laugh every time because he says, does, and thinks almost exactly like Walter Coe. It's great finding attributes of your best friends from home in your mission companions.

I was reading 2 Nephi 9 during sacrament meeting yesterday. I've read such chapters of the Book of Mormon many times before. But every time I read it again, I always learn something new--something that I personally need in my life during that time. It's amazing how it works. I love the scriptures, and my testimony of them grows each and every day. I know that as we study the scriptures daily, we will find answers to our questions, we will find counsel and comfort, and--most important of all--we will draw closer to our Heavenly Father.

I testify that the Book of Mormon is true! I was saddened a few days ago as we talked to a lady who wanted to contend with us about The Book of Mormon. We bore our testimony about how we have personally received an answer from God that it's true. She didn't accept one word that we said, but it was another one of those moments where we just walked away and I felt good to know that I have the truth in my life--that we truly can receive answers from God by praying and reading the scriptures. :) We are rejected every day. But every time we're rejected, I feel my testimony getting stronger. It's the greatest!

I love you all. :) Until next week!

A One Hit Wonder: ¡Hay Que Hacerlo No Más!

Dear All,


If I've learned anything in the mission it's humility. I've learned that our ways aren't the Lord's ways. I've had many moments in the mission where I've wanted "this" or "that", only to find out that I get neither. As far as transfers go, I've realized that the expected NEVER happens. But I've learned and I've accepted that we just have to be obedient and do what's asked of us! :)


With that said...We were surprised on Saturday when the zone leaders called us to tell us who was staying and who was leaving. They were on speaker phone, and they started with Elder Repetto. "Elder Repetto...¡Se Queda! (You're staying!)" Well, my first thought was, "Okay, great! We're staying together for another transfer." Well, I was surprised when the zone leaders announced my name. "Elder Nelson!....¡Se Va! (You're leaving!)" I was expecting it at all. Haha. I laughed a little bit, and Elder Hunsaker (who is also leaving) and I started packing our bags. My first "One Hit Wonder" in the mission! (Where you stay in an area for only one change; it's actually not a known missionary term. I actually just came up with it myself. ;))


So yup! I am heading to the Achupallas Zone. It's in Viña del Mar, and I am really excited to be close to the ocean again. :) It'll be fun to be in Viña for the first time, too. My companion's name is Elder Judd. No one in my zone really knows him, so I can't say much. Although I did hear that he plays the bag pipes and that he's starting his third change. But my guess is that he's from Utah. ;) If so, he will be my first companion from Utah, and he will be my first companion from the United States since my 3rd-4th transfer (almost a whole year ago!) And it'll be fun to be with someone that doesn't speak Spanish fluently. ;) Haha. I am pretty excited!


The mini mission was good. I was with a kid named Alexander, and we had a blast! He's 16, and he's so excited to serve a mission. After being here in Quillota with us for a week, he told me, "You know what? When I got here, I thought a lot about home. But now I don't even want to go home!" I just put my arm around him and said, "Brother, multiply your one week by 104, and that'll give you a pretty good idea of how long the mission is and how much harder it is for the missionaries to go back to their houses after being gone for TWO years of this." He just laughed. Haha. But yeah! It was great except my back really hurts. I slept on a few couch cushions on our cold stone floor for six days. (I gave my bed up to Elder Repetto's mini missionary.) But I slept in my bed last night, and I slept SO good. :)


I have a testimony of the blessings that come as we live an obediente life. When we are obediente, the Lord blesses us. When we aren't obediente, we have no promises. That's something I've definitely seen here in the mission! I think something we can improve on (for me anyways) are the little things such as daily prayer and scripture study (both personal and as a family). As we keep all the commandments--including the small, simple, hard ones--the Lord will bless us. :) So I'm going to be more obediente


So all is well here. :) I don't know what else to say though! But I hope all is well back home! I love you all.


Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Nelson IV

Una Mini Mision

Dear All,

There is no place like the mission. I was pondering a little bit this morning, and I thought of my 17-year-old self. It was at that age where my desire to serve a mission sky-rocketed after attending EFY in the Summer of 2007. I did everything I could to prepare. I was surprised in July of 2009 when I opened my call and learned that I would be learning another language in another country. The truth: I was scared to death, but I was excited! I entered the MTC in November 2009, and I learned there that the mission would not be an easy task. I struggled there. I got to Chile a year ago, and I struggled much more.

But I am writing today to let each and every one of you know that there is NOTHING like the mission. I love the mission, and I am excited to be here serving the Lord. I have made a lot of choices in my life. Some I've regretted; others I am not quite so sure what I was thinking. But I do know this: My decision to serve a mission has been the greatest decision that I have made in my life thus far. I've seen miracles here in the mission. I've formed friendships that I'll never forget. Best of all, I am turning into the man that the Lord wants me to be. I am honoring my Priesthood, and I am learning to follow the Spirit. To all of you who are still able to serve: As President Monson said....THE LORD NEEDS MORE MISSIONARIES! I challenge you to prepare and JUST DO IT. It's the best.

I really am excited to be here, and I really do love the mission. We had our baptism this last Saturday. It went extremely well! Valeska is really excited to be a member of Christ's church now. :) She told us (after her confirmation), "I just felt....energy when you guys put your hands on my head." It was great. She loved it. And so did her daughters! We hope they follow her example and are baptized soon. We can't pressure them or force them to do it because--as our mission president taught us in our training meeting--if we force people or pressure them into being baptized, we are leaving Christ's plan behind, and we are carrying out Satan's work as we take away the agency of the people. It really made me think, and it really is true! So...Hopefully we can just help them feel the Spirit so that they'll have the desire to be baptized. :)

Speaking of the training meeting...It was a two day meeting, and it was great. I learned a lot there! :) It was good to see Elder Birchall (my trainer) again, as well as Elder Mann and Elder Dupre. They will both be going home next week. Wow. I can't believe it! But it was a great meeting. We talked more about the Eight Principles (see picture of new MTC curriculum), and we did a LOT of practices. I even had to do a practice with President Gillespie himself! I don't know why, but...that was extremely nerve-racking. But it went well. :)

Well, sadly I will not be spending my last week of the transfer with my companion Elder Repetto. :) We received a call from the Zone Leaders a few days ago saying that President Gillespie chose us to have mini missionaries for a week! So yes, I will be with one of the young men from Villa Alemana for a week. I am so excited. I love going out and working with the youth. There is nothing greater than getting someone excited to go out and serve. :) So tonight we'll be traveling to Villa Alemana to pick up our "mini missionaries." It's going to be sweet! :) I'll tell you all about it next week.

I love you all. Thank you for your examples and for your testimonies. I've been influenced by each and every one of you.

Until next week, then! :)

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Nelson IV

La Contención: No Está En Los Cielos

Dear All,

It's Summer, and I am once again reminded of just how hot it is here in Chile. A whole year ago this week, I was getting off the plane in Santiago, and it was burning HOT--especially after freezing in the MTC for two months. The fall and winter came shortly after I arrived, though, and I really forgot how hot it gets here! But...it's actually not all that bad compared to Las Vegas. It's a little less hot. 

And a few days ago we had a scary moment when we kept hearing a bunch of fire trucks and what not while we were at the church. There was SO much smoke that it blocked the sun, and it was actually nice and cool that day, thanks to all the smoke. (See pictures.) We later learned that there was a forest fire that burned a hill COMPLETELY and that it took a TON of fire trucks to take it out. I can't remember the exact number, but it was something like 50 trucks. Yikes. My companion was scared and he kept asking me, "Is that normal? Is the moon supposed to be red like that?" I tried to explain to him that it was the sun, and it only looked like that because the smoke was blocking it's light. It took him the LONGEST time to realize that it was the sun and not the moon! Haha. It gave me a good laugh. :)

We had a good week. Valeska will be baptized this Saturday, and we are excited. She was at church with her whole family yesterday. Her daughters are more receptive now, and we are hoping to invite them to be baptized sometime this week! :) 

Speaking of this week...It's going to be fun. We have a Leadership Training this Thursday and Friday. Normally, it's for all Zone Leaders, Trainers, and District Leaders. But this time President Gillespie is inviting all the Senior Companions because a lot of Zone Leaders and District Leaders are going home, and a lot of Senior Companions will be filling their spots. So I will be spending two days in Villa Alemana (my old zone) with Elder Hunsaker (one of the Elders that lives with me; he's a District Leader, and he has the same amount of time as I do in the mission.) We're excited. :)

We had an interesting, cool experience a few days ago when we went to go teach Valeska. Our appointment was at 7 PM as always, but we actually showed up a little bit earlier. To our surprise, Valeska's friend was there with two "missionaries" from her church. We greeted each other, and they said, "Oh, we're just teaching Valeska a little bit about the Bible!" I told them, "Great! I love to learn." We sat down, and we began to listen. They started off by saying, "Let's agree right away that we won't contend." Haha. We agreed, and we continued to listen to their message.

As they talked, Valeska asked me out of nowhere, "Elder, where is that scripture that talks about how there will be more scripture? In Ezikel, right?" I told her yes, and I opened it up to tell her exactly where it was at. Well...to make a long story short, that was when these two gentlemen decided to break their promise, and they started to contend with us. They went off on ALL this stuff, and they were trying to prove to us (using the Bible) that the Book of Mormon isn't the word of God. 

They read a scripture to John about how there wouldn't be any more "Gospels." To them, that meant there would be no more books. I said to them, "Actually...The Gospel is Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving The Gift of The Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. And it's not that the Book of Mormon is a NEW Gospel. The Gospel is the Gospel, and it's taught in both the Book of Mormon and in the Bible." Haha. They had nothing to say to that, and so they tried to destroy me with another scripture.

To make a long story short...We didn't Bible Bash with them, but they were really immature about it. When I told them that I received a witness from the Spirit that The Book of Mormon was true, they told me that the answer I received was from my imagination! And it was great because Valeska even told them, "But we do read the Bible every week in Church! And I've read the Book of Mormon, and I know it's the word of God." Haha. After that...they just left. And one of them was rude enough to even say, "A pleasure, Elder Nelson....READ THE BIBLE!" I didn't let it bother me too much, though. And Valeska was great because she kept saying stuff to us like, "Wow. Elders! Thanks for behaving yourselves. You two handled that a WHOLE lot better than they did." 

The truth: We can't contend or Bible Bash with anyone. Because when we do that, the Spirit isn't present. And without the Spirit, there is no conversion. But the cool thing about the experience is that it really helped Valeska and her daughters with their testimonies. It actually REALLY helped us out! And it helped me build upon my own personal testimony! It was awesome.

I know the Gospel is true. I know that The Book of Mormon and the Bible together contain the word of God. They compliment one another. And by studying them both, yes, we can learn and be inspired. But what is really important is LIVING the Gospel and SHOWING to God that you are really willing to follow Him. I know that by doing so, we will be blessed. I have no doubts. The Gospel has changed my life, and it continues to change my life every day here in the mission.

My challenge: Read the Book of Mormon and prayer and ask if it is true, even if you have before. You WILL feel the Spirit! :) I promise.

I am sorry this e-mail is all over the place, but I hope you enjoyed it. I love you all, and I will talk to you next week.

Con Amor,

Elder Nelson IV